Photo Galleries

“It's just one of those things where I wouldn't say I blacked out, but it was as close to blacking out as you can get,” Hadley said. “I just got off to such a good start. You can just kind of feel it in your bones and in your hands. I didn't think about it then like this might be something special because you've got to let it materialize.”

The 25-year-old former three-time All-American at Georgia Tech matched the lowest nine-hole score in Web.com Tour history with both Notah Begay III (Dominion Open) and Doug Dunakey (Miami Valley Open) carding the number in 1998. Those two went on to record 59 while Hadley settled for even par on the back to card an 8-under 63 and tie for third.

The rookie making just his ninth career Web.com start had kick-in birdies from 2 feet or less on Nos. 1, 3 and 4 and drained a 12-footer dead center at the par-5 second. He then arrived at the par-5 fifth where he hit driver and 7-iron to 15 feet and converted the eagle putt.

“I hit the most drippy putt, it was so sexy this thing going right over the front edge for eagle,” Hadley said. “You're 6 under through five and it's somewhat uncharted territory and it's not like I was uncomfortable, but you just get a little bit more nervous.”

He parred Nos. 6 and 7 after missing a 20-foot birdie attempt at the former and brushing the edge at the latter after he almost flew his wedge approach into the cup before it spun back to 12 feet. At No. 8 he hit 3-wood and 9-iron to 7 feet for another birdie and then added his sixth of the round with a 12-foot birdie at the ninth.

Hadley hit the first nine greens in regulation while using 11 putts. So often you'll hear golfers say they had no idea what their score was, but not Hadley, who was well aware what was happening even as he acknowledged he was basically unconscious hitting his shots.

“Oh heck yeah, I knew what it was. I added up the tally and knew 27. I certainly lost a little momentum on the back which is disappointing, and it was hard to keep 59 out of your head. I still played fine. I hit one-and-a-half bad shots on the back and shot even and that's just the way golf is.”

Hadley parred the first five after the turn before making a birdie at the 15th and then ending with a disappointing bogey.

“On the back nine I started hitting the ball 15-to-20 yards further with all my clubs just because you're a little more amped and it was tough to adjust,” Hadley said. “It's a learning experience and I had never been in this position before on the Web.com Tour. As the season goes on I'll figure these things out.”

His previous high finish was a tie for 28th at his season opener in Panama and his low round was a 6-under 65 in Round 2 of the Louisiana Open.

<p>GREER — Chesson Hadley played downright out of his mind on the front nine at Thornblade Club during Sunday's final round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am in carding a ridiculous 27.</p><p>“It's just one of those things where I wouldn't say I blacked out, but it was as close to blacking out as you can get,” Hadley said. “I just got off to such a good start. You can just kind of feel it in your bones and in your hands. I didn't think about it then like this might be something special because you've got to let it materialize.”</p><p>The 25-year-old former three-time All-American at Georgia Tech matched the lowest nine-hole score in Web.com Tour history with both Notah Begay III (Dominion Open) and Doug Dunakey (Miami Valley Open) carding the number in 1998. Those two went on to record 59 while Hadley settled for even par on the back to card an 8-under 63 and tie for third.</p><p>“I mean, 27, that's a serious number,” Hadley said. “I'm 6 under through five holes and trying my hardest just to hold everything in.”</p><p>The rookie making just his ninth career Web.com start had kick-in birdies from 2 feet or less on Nos. 1, 3 and 4 and drained a 12-footer dead center at the par-5 second. He then arrived at the par-5 fifth where he hit driver and 7-iron to 15 feet and converted the eagle putt.</p><p>“I hit the most drippy putt, it was so sexy this thing going right over the front edge for eagle,” Hadley said. “You're 6 under through five and it's somewhat uncharted territory and it's not like I was uncomfortable, but you just get a little bit more nervous.”</p><p>He parred Nos. 6 and 7 after missing a 20-foot birdie attempt at the former and brushing the edge at the latter after he almost flew his wedge approach into the cup before it spun back to 12 feet. At No. 8 he hit 3-wood and 9-iron to 7 feet for another birdie and then added his sixth of the round with a 12-foot birdie at the ninth.</p><p>Hadley hit the first nine greens in regulation while using 11 putts. So often you'll hear golfers say they had no idea what their score was, but not Hadley, who was well aware what was happening even as he acknowledged he was basically unconscious hitting his shots.</p><p>“Oh heck yeah, I knew what it was. I added up the tally and knew 27. I certainly lost a little momentum on the back which is disappointing, and it was hard to keep 59 out of your head. I still played fine. I hit one-and-a-half bad shots on the back and shot even and that's just the way golf is.”</p><p>Hadley parred the first five after the turn before making a birdie at the 15th and then ending with a disappointing bogey.</p><p>“On the back nine I started hitting the ball 15-to-20 yards further with all my clubs just because you're a little more amped and it was tough to adjust,” Hadley said. “It's a learning experience and I had never been in this position before on the Web.com Tour. As the season goes on I'll figure these things out.”</p><p>His previous high finish was a tie for 28th at his season opener in Panama and his low round was a 6-under 65 in Round 2 of the Louisiana Open.</p>